Military Fitness

Francois D'Eliscu was an American military officer, football and basketball coach, and college athletics administrator. Although he is less known then other WWII Combat Readiness authors like W.E. Fairbairn, he is what many would consider the "Father of Modern Military Fitness Training". Commissioned by the U.S. Government to prepare a program for military inductees, he compiled a group of experts to devise a military fitness and combat program for the U.S. Rangers and other military personnel. Originally published in 1943 this training manual is still as applicable in many areas as it was during its creation. Part training manual, part military combative techniques, this manual is a rare glimpse into the military combatives that have shaped all military training since.

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) faces short-term and long-term challenges in selecting and recruiting an enlisted force to meet personnel requirements associated with diverse and changing missions. The DoD has established standards for aptitudes/abilities, medical conditions, and physical fitness to be used in selecting recruits who are most likely to succeed in their jobs and complete the first term of service (generally 36 months). In 1999, the Committee on the Youth Population and Military Recruitment was established by the National Research Council (NRC) in response to a request from the DoD. One focus of the committee's work was to examine trends in the youth population relative to the needs of the military and the standards used to screen applicants to meet these needs. When the committee began its work in 1999, the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force had recently experienced recruiting shortfalls. By the early 2000s, all the Services were meeting their goals; however, in the first half of calendar year 2005, both the Army and the Marine Corps experienced recruiting difficulties and, in some months, shortfalls. When recruiting goals are not being met, scientific guidance is needed to inform policy decisions regarding the advisability of lowering standards and the impact of any change on training time and cost, job performance, attrition, and the health of the force. Assessing Fitness for Military Enlistment examines the current physical, medical, and mental health standards for military enlistment in light of (1) trends in the physical condition of the youth population; (2) medical advances for treating certain conditions, as well as knowledge of the typical course of chronic conditions as young people reach adulthood; (3) the role of basic training in physical conditioning; (4) the physical demands and working conditions of various jobs in today's military services; and (5) the measures that are used by the Services to characterize an individual's physical condition. The focus is on the enlistment of 18- to 24-year-olds and their first term of service.

Achieve the same gold-standard of fitness upheld by Special Ops with this unique strength and conditioning program created by a former Navy SEAL. A year-long day-by-day essential training and workout plan for the heroes of tomorrow—police officers, firefighters, soldiers, and others whose lifesaving jobs demand them to be in optimum physical condition. Over the past decade, Special Ops fitness has morphed into a new fitness genre—along with military, police, and firefighter fitness—called tactical fitness. Developed by a former Navy SEAL and built upon Special Ops fitness techniques, Tactical Fitness is designed to train you to perform to the rigorous physical training standards at the same level of excellence required of these Heroes of Tomorrow. At the core of this program is the Tactical Fitness Test which measures 12 standards for your physical capacity, including: cardiovascular conditioning, strength, muscle coordination, and stamina. Tactical fitness means having the skills needed to save lives and extend the limits of your endurance whether you are in the military, police, firefighting professions, or just an everyday hero. Designed for both men and women, Tactical Fitness presents a series of scaled workout plans—programs based in calisthenics, cardio, and swimming—supplemented with weights, full-body exercises, and functional athletic movements. Unique skills presented also include rope climbing, grip strength, carries, wall climbs, and much more. With Tactical Fitness, you will: • Reach your absolute physical peak with the same workout techniques used by Special Forces military, firefighters, and police • Follow a rigorous fitness curriculum designed to help you exceed the limits of your strength, speed, and endurance • Benefit from all the teaching expertise of former Navy SEAL Stew Smith • Be ready for whatever life throws at you Tactical Fitness sets a standard of excellence that does more than meet the minimum requirement—it allows you to reach your full physical potential!

This tried and true method for improving and maintaining your overall physical fitness has been enthusiastically endorsed by the public since its initial release in 1961. Originally designed for use by Royal Canadian Air Force pilots stationed in remote, confined bases in the far north, the 5BX and XBX fitness plans (for men and women respectively) don't require access to complicated gym equipment or even the outdoors. To be in the best shape of your life, all you need is this slim book, a few minutes a day, an average-sized living room, and a little determination. The fitness plans presented in this volume are unique in their simplicity and effectiveness. With clear-cut fitness "targets" and tools for measuring your progress, the 5BX and XBX programs are designed to let you develop your physical fitness at your own pace, adjusting for your age, body type, baseline fitness, and schedule. The XBX and 5BX plans are balanced to target the muscles of your entire body as well as your cardiovascular system. There's no need to mix and match with other exercises or routines. These simple 10-15 minute workouts are all you need to feel fitter and healthier than ever!

Military fitness means being fit for anything. As a member of an elite military team you could be hacking through dense jungle one day, cross country skiing the next and battling through the urban sprawl of a city ruined by heavy shelling the day after that. Being military fit means you have to be versatile. Strangth without fitness or fitness without agility and quickness are of little use and your all-round fitness may be all that ensures your survival.